Bollywood Banned

Bangladesh has lifted a four-decade ban on Indian films in a bid to boost attendance at cinemas, a government minister said, drawing loud complaints from local actors and directors.

Films produced by India's huge Bollywood entertainment industry have been banned from Bangladesh's cinemas since 1972, a year after the country's independence, to protect the local movie industry.

We lifted the ban to boost the cinema industry, Bangladesh Commerce Minister Faruk Khan told AFP.

Cinema hall owners, who have been clamouring to be allowed to show Indian films, said they expected to start showing Indian films shortly.

The number of cinema theatres has slid to 600 in 2010 from 1,600 in 2000 in the country with Bangladeshi films and soft-porn English-language films shown in movie houses failing to draw viewers.

Pirated DVD copies of Bollywood movies circulate widely in Bangladesh in the absence of them being shown in cinemas and the films are hugely popular.

The lifting of the ban comes amid warming relations between India and Bangladesh after ties worsened between the neighbours when an Islamist-allied government was in power in Dhaka from 2001 to 2006.

But not everyone supports the move. Indian films will completely destroy our film industry and our culture. At least 25,000 people will be jobless, said Masum Parvez Rubel, a leading star and a co-coordinator of a newly created front against Indian films.

The Lahore High Court has issued notices to the chairman of Pakistan Central Board of Film Censors (PCBFC) and a Deputy Attorney General in a case regarding exhibition of Indian films.

The applicants requested the court to declare the exhibition of Indian films in Pakistan by PCBFC as illegal.

Applicants prayed to the court to cancel the censor certificates issued by the board and restrain it from issuing further certificates.

In this case, PCBFC secretary had already filed a reply saying that it changed rules through which a film produced by foreign countries other than India despite having Indian cast could be exhibited in the country to facilitate film importers and to revive cinema industry. In order to revive Pakistan's cinema industry, which was declining day by day, the federal government made an amendment in the Rule 10 under which films produced by other countries containing Indian or Pakistani Artists could also be brought into the country, he said.

Sixteen Hindi films were screened in Pakistan last year after a nearly four-decade ban on Indian movies was lifted.

But strained ties between the neighbours following the Mumbai terror attack coupled with dipping fortunes of the Pakistani film industry may signal the end of this short lived golden phase.

Pakistan Censor Malik Shahnawaz Noon said the board was planning to again ban Indian movies as it was destroying the local film industry. I personally believe Indian films should not be screened in Pakistan and we are working to put a ban on Bollywood movies.

Others agreed with him. Said Syed Noor, a leading Pakistani writer-director-producer: Some people with vested interests don’t want our industry to flourish. He disclosed that the government was meeting members of the film fraternity to find ways to revive local cinema.

With an intention to revive cinema culture in Pakistan, the Ministry of Culture has finally decided to permit the screening of Indian movies on permanent basis.

The proposal for screening at least six movies per year has been sent to the prime minister for approval, which is likely to be approved within a few days.

Sources told The News that in a high level meeting presided by Secretary Ministry of Culture Shahid Rafi, it was decided after a heated debate that Indian movies of high quality and good subject should be screened in Pakistani cinemas to revive the cinema culture in the country. The secretary was of the opinion that Indian movies would not only help generate revenue but would also create an atmosphere of competition that would definitely bring positive changes in Pakistani movies.

He added that the proposal sent to the PM was not only about screening Indian movies in Pakistan but also included the suggestion of same number of Pakistani movies to be screened in India to maintain a balance.

Rafi said the number of movies to be screened in Pakistan could be changed if the prime minister asks to do so. It could be more than six or less than six, as it depends upon the prime minister, he added.

He said there were more than 700 cinemas in Pakistan but due to the poor quality of movies and good-for-nothing subjects, it has now been reduced to 250. People stopped going to cinemas, as there was nothing in the movies to entertain them and the cinema was confined to a particular class of people, he said.

Update: Pakistan Censors still Blocking Indian Films

15th July

Many Indian films are still failing to release in Pakistan. Reportedly a film company had paid heavy amounts to purchase the rights of several Indian movies but the films could not be released due to certain policies and laws of the Censor Board.

These Indian films include Saanwariya , Mary Gold, Superstar and others. The same film company claimed to release Indian film Mehboobha on July 11 but also failed to do so.

The film industry had shown its concern on the issue since it disturbs the schedules of the Pakistani films while cinema owners too have to face difficulties if the Indian movie gets dropped at the last moment.

Bollywood filmmakers have a reason to celebrate for it looks like a new territory is opening doors for them, Pakistan.

With comedy flick Welcome getting a positive response, now more and more distributors are releasing Hindi films in Pakistan.

The release of films like Awarapan , Goal and Welcome has shown that Pakistan may be finally working to lift its 1965 ban on Indian films.

After releasing the John Abraham and Arshad Warsi-starrer Goal in Pakistan, UTV is all set to release multi-starrer Race and Aamir Khan's Taare Zameen Par on march 28. Taare Zameen Par will be released without changes while Race will be edited slightly to make it acceptable for the Pakistan Censor Board.

If Pakistan opens as a free-flowing market for Bollywood films, it will open another big territory for the Hindi film industry. Right now, the two major overseas markets are only the UK and the US.

Update: On Par

12th April 2008

Taare Zameen Par has now opened in Pakistan

The Pakistan Censor Board has banded the screening of Aamir Khan’s Taare Zameen Par in the country’s cinema halls. The movie has been banned under a regulation that says it cannot be shown as it has been shot entirely in India. Besides, no Pakistani actor is starring in the film.

The premiere of the movie in Pakistan was scheduled for April.

Besides winning seven awards in India, the movie also won the prestigious Gollapudi Srinivas National award.